1. Thomas Simmons of Gunderson Palmer Law Firm Attends
NAELA Special Needs Summit
Builds Knowledge of Elder and Special Needs Law
Rapid City, SD - The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) has
announced that Thomas Simmons of Gunderson, Palmer, Nelson & Ashmore LLP
in Rapid City, SD has attended the 2010 NAELA Special Needs Summit, a unique
opportunity for the Special Needs Law practitioner to learn from speakers from
the national disability community and network with practitioners from all over the
country, held in New Orleans, La., February 25-27.
Some of the highlights of the 2010 Special Needs Summit included sessions on:
•Effective Communication with the Disability Community, Families, and
Caretakers
•The Nuts and Bolts of a Social Security Disability/SSI Application
•Veterans Administration Benefits
•How to Prepare the Elderly and People with Special Needs for Emergency
Situations
•Handling the Divorce of Parents with a Special Needs Child
•Advocating for Housing Rights of People with Special Needs
•What to Consider Before Joining a Pooled Trust
•Special Needs Policy and Legislative Issues for 2010
Tom attended the program with the goal of building his knowledge in order to
continue to provide high-quality service in the growing field of Elder and Special
Needs Law and helping to meet the needs of older Americans and people with
special needs in Rapid City and surrounding communities.
ABOUT NAELA
Established in 1987, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) is a

2. non-profit association that assists lawyers, bar organizations and others.
Members of NAELA are attorneys who are experienced and trained in working
with the legal problems of aging Americans and individuals of all ages with
disabilities. The mission of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys is to
establish NAELA members as the premier providers of legal advocacy, guidance
and services to enhance the lives of people with special needs and people as
they age. NAELA currently has more than 4,000 members across the United
States. For more information, visit www.naela.org.
ABOUT ELDER LAW
Elder law is a specialized area of law that involves representing, counseling and
assisting seniors, people with disabilities and their families in connection with a
variety of legal issues, with a primary emphasis on promoting the highest quality
of life for individuals. Typically, elder law addresses the convergence of legal
needs with the social, psychological, medical and financial needs of individuals.
The elder law practitioner handles estate planning and counsels clients about
planning for incapacity with health care decision making documents. The
attorney also assists clients in planning for possible long-term care needs,
including at-home care, assisted living or nursing home care. Locating the
appropriate type of care, coordinating public and private resources to finance
the cost of care, and working to ensure the client's right to quality care are all
part of the elder law practice.
Thomas also presented a session entitled “Pooled Trusts: An Introduction and Personal History” at the
summit.
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